Main navigation

Nav Social Menu

Shop Local with LocaLI Bred

It is time to start thinking about the holidays—and more importantly—all of those holiday gifts for the loved ones on your list. The holidays can be a stressful time. Between holiday decorating, finding the perfect outfit to wear to your office holiday party, and meal planning and cooking for said holiday, finding time for holiday shopping may be the last thing on your to-do list.

So, when I learned about LocaLI Bred, a local company that curates gift boxes showcasing Long Island’s best makers and artisans, I knew my holiday gift buying prayers has been answered. I was fortunate enough to meet with co-founders Halie and Theresa in person and chatted with them about how they came up with the idea.

{Co-Founders, Halie and Theresa, at the LocaLI Bred Launch Party}

In 2015, new friends Halie, a practicing attorney, and Theresa, a pastry chef, started talking about their new home on Long Island and all of the incredible local artisans that called the Island home, too. They wanted to support these incredible talents who were making everything from jams to candles, and even homemade fudge, in a way that everyone both near and far could enjoy. With that idea in mind, LocaLI Bred was born. Each LocaLI Bred box supports up to 10 Long Island businesses (how’s that for supporting small businesses!) and are complete with both edible and non-edible items. With boxes for hostesses, the holidays, or just because, what is not to love about this idea?

Halie and Theresa generously gifted me my own LocaLI Bred box called—The Hostess with the Mostess. What I instantly loved was the presentation. The box itself is something the recipient will definitely want to keep.

Inside my box, I found:

A pack of Captain’s Blend Coffee from Sail Away Coffee (a great local coffee roaster in Deer Park)

A set of Long Island Lighthouse Coasters from Dolce Press (made in Bohemia)

English Breakfast tea pouches from PLAIN-T (blended in Southampton)

Fudge from North Fork Chocolate Company (made in Aquebogue). Sadly, the fudge was devoured upon opening the box. No surprise there!

Seasonal jam from Kerber’s Farm (made in Huntington)

A beautiful tea towel with a watercolor map of Long Island on it (screen printed in Amityville)

Each one of these items was a unique gift in and of itself, but to have all of these things presented together made this a truly special box. And aside from gifting someone a thoughtful (and usable gift), these curated boxes take all of the guesswork out of what to buy the people on your list. These boxes are the perfect present for the Long Island lover or just to show your friends and family back home some of the amazing craftsman that we have here on Long Island.

LocaLI Bred truly has the perfect gift box for everyone on your list. Whether you need something for a neighbor, a hostess, or that fancy friend, rest assured they’ve got you covered. Or, you can shop from their online marketplace and purchase the individual pieces you know your friends and family will love.

As a native Long Islander, I am always happy to support small businesses. I love what Halie and Theresa have created with these boxes and am thrilled to see so many talented local artisans represented with these gifts.

So, check out LocaLI Bred this season and make gift giving a breeze. LocaLI Bred can ship your gift box, or if you live locally, you can pick it up at Wax Republic in Huntington. And, remember, Small Business Saturday is November 24th. Come out and visit LocaLI Bred in person at their pop-up shop at Wax Republic on Small Business Saturday. Say hello to Halie and Theresa, and enjoy their signature brownies and blondies (they make the best ones!) while sipping on a hot chocolate.